Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                

M02 - Product Specification

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 8
At a glance
Powered by AI
The document discusses industry standard specifications for various natural gas liquid and gas processing plant products including LPGs, ethane, propane, butanes, and natural gasoline. It also provides an overview of typical quality criteria used for other products like residue gas and plant condensates.

The document discusses specifications for commercial propane, commercial butane, commercial butane-propane mixtures, propane HD-5, fractionation grade ethane, ethane-propane mixes, propane, iso-butane, normal butane and natural gasoline based on the GPA standards.

The Gas Processors Association (GPA) developed industry standard specifications for LPG products that are shown in Figure 2-1 and adopted as GPA Standard 2140.

2-1

This Section contains specifications and guidelines for natu-


ral gas liquid products. Fig. 2-1 contains GPA specifications for
commercial propane, commercial butane, commercial butane-
propane mixtures, and Propane HD-5.
1
These are official industry standards, representing a
broad industry consensus for minimum quality products. Pro-
ducers, purchasers, or pipeline companies may adopt variations
of these specifications
The gas plant designer and operator, as well as purchasers,
will also be concerned with specifications for other plant prod-
ucts, including residue gas, raw mix streams, ethane, propane,
ethane-propane mixes, normal butane, iso-butane, and plant
condensate. Although there are no official industry specifica-
tions for these products, GPA Technical Section C developed a
new set of product specifications for use in the gas processing
industry. These specification would be used to establish con-
sistent, minimum specifications across the industry. Fig 2-2
shows fractionation grade product specifications for the follow-
ing products:
Fractionation Ethane,
Fractionation Ethane/Propane (E/P) Mix,
Fractionation Propane
Fractionation Iso-Butane,
Fractionation Normal Butane,
Fractionation Natural Gasoline.
This table has been adopted as GPA Standard 2107.
SECTION 2
Product Specications
FIG. 2-1
GPA Liquefied Petroleum Gas Specifications
(This Table Extracted from GPA Standard 2140-97)
Product Characteristics
Product Designation
Commercial
Propane
Commercial
Butane
Commercial
B-P Mixtures
Propane HD-5 Test Methods
Composition Predominantly
propane and/or
propylene.
Predominantly
butanes and/or
butylenes.
Predominantly
mixtures of
butanes and/or
butylenes with
propane and/or
propylene.
not less than 90
liquid volume per-
cent propane; not
more than 5 liquid
volume percent
propylene.
ASTM D-2163-91
Vapor pressure at 100F, psig, max.
at 37.8C, kPa (ga), max.
208
1434
70
483
208
1434
208
1434
ASTM D-1267-95
Volatile residue:
temperature at 95% evaporation, F,max.
or
C, max.
butane and heavier, liquid volume percent max.
pentane and heavier, liquid volume percent max.

37

38.3
2.5


36

2.2

2.0

36

2.2

2.0

37

38.3
2.5


ASTM D-1837-94

ASTM D-2163-91
ASTM D-2163-91
Residual matter:
residue on evaporation of 100 cm
3
, max.
oil stain observation

0.05 cm
3

pass (1)


0.05 cm
3

pass (1)

ASTM D-2158-92
ASTM D-2158-92
Corrosion, copper strip, max. No. 1 No. 1 No. 1 No. 1 ASTM D-1838-91
(Note A)
Total sulfur, mg/kg 185 140 140 123 ASTM D-2784-92
Moisture content pass pass GPA Propane
Dryness Test
(Cobalt Bromide)
or D-2713-91
Free water content none none
(1) An acceptable product shall not yield a persistent oil ring when 0.3 cm
3
of solvent residue mixture is added to a filter paper in 0.1 increments and
examined in daylight after 2 minutes as described in ASTM D-2158.
NOTE A: This method may not accurately determine the corrosivity of the liquefied petroleum gas if the sample contains corrosion inhibitors
or other chemicals which diminish the corrosivity of the sample to the copper strip. Therefore, the addition of such compounds for the
sole purpose of biasing the test is prohibited.
2-2
Likewise, there are no industry standard specifications for
ethane or ethane-propane (EP) mixes. However, GPA Technical
Section C has provided a summary of typical quality criteria in
industry use as shown in Fig. 2-3.
Quality specifications for natural gas have historically been
individually negotiated and prescribed in contracts between
purchasers or pipeline companies and the producer or proces-
sor. Specification parameters for pipeline quality natural gas
may include heating value, composition, contaminants, water
content, and hydrocarbon dew point. Specification limits for
these parameters may vary widely depending on the pipeline
system, climatological conditions, end use, and other factors.
Example pipeline quality gas specification parameters are
shown in Fig. 2-4.
LPG SPECIFICATION PARAMETERS
LPG specifications of GPA Standard 2140, shown in Fig. 2-1,
are the industry standards in the United States. International
specifications, adopted in ISO 9162, are shown in Fig. 2-5.
14
In many cases, specification parameters for LPG are based
on simple pass-fail test methods that can be performed quick-
ly and easily by field personnel. These specifications and test
methods are intended to assure products that can be safely han-
dled in transport systems, and that will perform adequately and
safely in their end-use markets. Unfortunately, many of these
tests tell the design engineer or plant operator little about prod-
uct composition or quantitative limits. The following discussion
is intended to provide an indication of product composition and
quantitative limits imposed by these industry specifications.
Vapor Pressure
Vapor pressure is a critical specification that must be ob-
served for safe and efficient utilization of propane, butane, and
butane/propane mixtures in domestic and commercial installa-
tions, and to comply with various regulations governing trans-
port vessels and cylinders.
3
The GPA vapor pressure specification limit for propane
meets the requirements of U.S. Department of Transportation
regulations by effectively limiting the ethane content of com-
mercial propane and propane HD-5 to a maximum of approxi-
mately 7 volume percent. Any appreciable quantity of propyl-
ene, permitted in commercial propane only, would necessarily
reduce the amount of permissible ethane due to the higher va-
por pressure of propylene relative to that of propane. Likewise,
variations in the butane content of propane, limited to 2.5 vol-
ume percent, will impact the amount of ethane permitted by the
vapor pressure specification.
Moisture Content
Moisture in propane must be controlled to very low concen-
trations to avoid hydrate formation in pipelines and freezing in
tanks, regulating equipment, and other equipment in the dis-
tribution system.
Although a properly designed and operated dehydration
system produces very dry propane, moisture can and does en-
ter the transportation and distribution system at many points,
such as storage tanks, loading racks, and transport vessels.
There are two recognized methods for determining accept-
able levels of moisture in propane products: the GPA Cobalt
Bromide Test, and the Valve Freeze method (ASTM D-2713).
Both are pass-fail tests that provide qualitative determina-
tions of commercially dry propane, but neither method yields
quantitative measures of moisture in the product.
The Cobalt Bromide test is based on the work of Hachmuth
4
,
which determined acceptable levels of moisture in commercial
equipment, and correlated these levels with results of the test
procedure. The test is based on observation of color changes of
cobalt bromide salt caused by the humidity of the gas or va-
por surrounding it. In practice, the cobalt bromide is supported
on white cotton wadding and exposed to a stream of propane
vapors chilled to 0C. The color of the cobalt bromide changes
from green to lavender at about 30% relative humidity, indi-
cating wet propane. Propane-water system data
7,8,11
indicate
that the water content of saturated propane vapors at 0C is ap-
proximately 530 mg/kg. The water content of saturated propane
liquid is approximately 35 mg/kg at 0C. At 30% saturation at
0C commercially dry propane, as measured by the Cobalt
Bromide test, will be about 159 mg/kg in the vapors and about
10 mg/kg in the liquid. Based on these specification limits at
0C, Fig. 2-6 gives maximum allowable water content of liquid
propane at other system temperatures.
The valve freeze method was developed to detect excessive
moisture in liquid propane, and is preferred by some over the
Cobalt Bromide test. The test device is a specially constructed
and calibrated orifice valve designed to simulate expansion of
propane through a pressure regulator. A liquid sample of the
product to be tested is passed through the valve at a preset
flow rate. The time required for the valve to freeze and inter-
rupt flow due to moisture in the product determines whether or
not the product is commercially dry. Test data reveals that a
freeze-off time of more than 60 seconds indicates less than 30
mg/kg moisture in the liquid product. The method is not ap-
plicable to propane products containing anti-freeze agents such
as methanol. It is also affected by the temperature of the liquid
sample.
A third method, the Bureau of Mines dew point tester, is
a simple field test still used by some, but is not recommended
because its accuracy is dependent on many poorly controlled
variables, such as temperature and pressure of the system.
This method was originally developed by the U.S. Bureau of
Mines and is still used as a field method to determine moisture
content in natural gas systems.
Sulfur Content
Certain compounds of sulfur must be controlled to an ex-
tremely low level in LPGs to prevent corrosion in distribution
facilities. The standard test for corrosivity is the Copper Corro-
sion Test (ASTM D-1838). In this test, a polished copper strip is
immersed in the product sample for one hour at 38C. The test
strip is then rated by comparison with the four color classifica-
tions of ASTM Copper Corrosion Standards:
No.1 Slight tarnish (light to dark orange)
No.2 Moderate tarnish (red, lavender, brassy gold)
No.3 Dark tarnish (magenta, red, green)
No.4 Corrosion (black, dark gray, brown)
Specifications for LPG products stipulate that the product
must not exceed a No.1 strip, indicating product that is not cor-
rosive to copper or brass fittings in the distribution system.
LPG from some sources may contain trace amounts of car-
bonyl sulfide (COS), which alone is non-corrosive. However, COS
can hydrolyze in the presence of water, either liquid or vapor, to
2-3
P
r
o
d
u
c
t

c
h
a
r
a
c
t
e
r
i
s
t
i
c
T
e
s
t

M
e
t
h
o
d
s
(
2
)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
a
t
i
o
n
E
t
h
a
n
e
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
a
t
i
o
n
E
t
h
a
n
e
/

P
r
o
p
a
n
e
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
a
t
i
o
n

P
r
o
p
a
n
e
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
-
a
t
i
o
n
I
s
o
b
u
t
a
n
e
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
a
t
i
o
n

N
o
r
m
a
l

B
u
t
a
n
e
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
a
t
i
o
n


N
a
t
u
r
a
l

G
a
s
o
l
i
n
e
A
N
A
L
Y
S
I
S
:
L
i
q
u
i
d

V
o
l
u
m
e

%




M
e
t
h
a
n
e
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3

3
.
0
.
%

m
a
x
.


1
.
5
%

m
a
x
.




E
t
h
a
n
e
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3
9
5
.
0
%

m
i
n
.
7
5
%

/


8
2
%




E
t
h
y
l
e
n
e
A
S
T
M
D
-
2
1
6
3



4
.
0
%

m
a
x
.




P
r
o
p
y
l
e
n
e
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3







1
.
0
%

m
a
x
.

5
.
0
%

m
a
x
.









P
r
o
p
a
n
e
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3

5
.
0
%

m
a
x
.
1
1
.
5
%

/

2
5
%
9
0
.
0
%

m
i
n
.





3
.
0
%

m
a
x
.
(
1
)







0
.
3
5
%

m
a
x
.
(
1
)




B
u
t
a
n
e

&

H
e
a
v
i
e
r

A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3







0
.
8
%

m
a
x
.

2
.
5
%

m
a
x
.




I
s
o
b
u
t
a
n
e
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3
9
5
.
0
%

m
i
n
.


6
.
0
%

m
a
x
.




N
o
r
m
a
l

B
u
t
a
n
e
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3



4
.
0
%

m
a
x
.
9
4
.
0
%

m
i
n
.
6
.
0
%

m
a
x
.

(
4
)




P
e
n
t
a
n
e
s
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
6
3


1
.
5
%

m
a
x
.
C
a
r
b
o
n

D
i
o
x
i
d
e

a
n
d

o
t
h
e
r

n
o
n
h
y
d
r
o
c
a
r
b
o
n
s

n
o
t


s
p
e
c
i
f
i
c
a
l
l
y

l
i
s
t
e
d
.
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
5
0
4
1
0
0
0


p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.
1
0
0
0

p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.
T
o
t
a
l

S
u
l
f
u
r
-
p
p
m

w
t
.


(
m
a
x
i
m
u
m
)
A
S
T
M

D
-
4
0
4
5
A
S
T
M

D
-
6
6
6
7
3
0

p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.
1
2
3


p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.
1
0
0

p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.

(
3
)
1
4
0

p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.
1
4
0

p
p
m

w
t
.

m
a
x
.
W
a
t
e
r

c
o
n
t
e
n
t

V
I
S
U
A
L
N
o

F
r
e
e

W
a
t
e
r
N
o

F
r
e
e

W
a
t
e
r
N
o

F
r
e
e

W
a
t
e
r
N
o

F
r
e
e

W
a
t
e
r
N
o

F
r
e
e

W
a
t
e
r
N
o

F
r
e
e

W
a
t
e
r
V
a
p
o
r

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

a
t

3
7
.
8

C
A
S
T
M

D
-
1
2
6
7

o
r

A
S
T
M

D
-
2
5
9
8

o
r

A
S
T
M

D
-
6
8
9
7
1
4
3
4

k
P
a

(
g
a
)


m
a
x
.
4
8
3

k
P
a

(
g
a
)

m
a
x
.
3
4
5

k
P
a

(
g
a
)

m
a
x
.
V
a
p
o
r

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

a
t

3
7
.
8

C
A
S
T
M

D
-
3
2
3
A
S
T
M

D
-
5
1
9
1
9
6
.
5

k
P
g

(
g
a
)



R
V
P

m
a
x
.
V
O
L
A
T
I
L
E

R
E
S
I
D
U
E
:




T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

@

9
5

%






e
v
a
p
o
r
a
t
i
o
n

A
S
T
M

D
-
1
8
3
7
-
3
8
.
3

C

m
a
x
.
-
8
.
9

C

m
a
x
.
+
2
.
2

C

m
a
x
.




E
n
d

P
o
i
n
t
A
S
T
M

D
-
8
6

1
9
0
.
6

C

m
a
x
.
R
E
S
I
D
U
A
L

M
A
T
T
E
R
:




R
e
s
i
d
u
e

o
n

e
v
a
p
o
r
a
t
i
o
n

o
f






1
0
0

m
l
,

m
a
x
.
A
S
T
M

D
-
2
1
5
8
0
.
0
5


m
l




O
i
l

S
t
a
i
n

O
b
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
o
n
P
a
s
s
C
o
r
r
o
s
i
o
n
,

C
o
p
p
e
r

S
t
r
i
p
,

m
a
x
.
A
S
T
M

D
-
1
8
3
8
N
o
.


1
N
o
.

1
N
o
.


1
N
o
.


1
N
o
.


1
C
o
r
r
o
s
i
o
n
,

C
o
p
p
e
r

S
t
r
i
p
,

m
a
x
.
A
S
T
M

D
-
1
3
0
N
o
.


1
D
o
c
t
o
r

T
e
s
t
A
S
T
M

D
-
4
9
5
2

o
r


G
P
A

1
1
3
8
N
e
g
a
t
i
v
e
C
o
l
o
r
,

S
a
y
b
o
l
t

N
u
m
b
e
r
,

m
i
n
.
A
S
T
M

D
-
1
5
6
+
2
5
1
.

P
r
o
p
a
n
e

a
n
d

l
i
g
h
t
e
r
.
2
.

T
e
s
t

m
e
t
h
o
d
s

l
i
s
t
e
d

a
r
e

t
y
p
i
c
a
l
.


E
q
u
i
v
a
l
e
n
t

o
r

m
u
t
u
a
l
l
y

a
g
r
e
e
a
b
l
e

m
e
t
h
o
d
s

m
a
y

a
l
s
o

b
e

u
t
i
l
i
z
e
d
.
3
.
.

T
h
e

1
2
3

p
p
m
w

s
u
l
f
u
r

s
p
e
c
i
f
i
c
a
t
i
o
n

r
e
p
r
e
s
e
n
t
s

a

t
o
t
a
l

l
i
m
i
t
.


O
d
o
r
i
z
a
t
i
o
n

c
o
u
l
d

c
a
u
s
e

t
h
i
s

l
i
m
i
t

t
o

b
e

e
x
c
e
e
d
e
d
.


B
a
s
e
d

o
n

t
h
i
s

c
o
n
c
e
r
n
,

t
h
e

f
r
a
c
t
i
o
n
a
t
i
o
n

p
r
o
p
a
n
e

s
p
e
c
i
f
i
c
a
t
i
o
n

w
i
l
l

b
e

r
e
d
u
c
e
d

t
o

1
0
0

p
p
m
w

m
a
x

t
o

a
l
l
o
w

f
o
r

o
d
o
r
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
,
4
.

n
-
B
u
t
a
n
e

a
n
d

l
i
g
h
t
e
r
.
FIG 2-2
GPA 2107-08 Fractionation Grade Product Specifications
2-4
corrosive hydrogen sulfide (H
2
S). The copper strip corrosion test
requires that the test cylinder be wetted with approximately
1 cm
3
of water prior to introduction of the sample, which is
intended to hydrolyze the COS into H
2
S and ensure detection of
corrosive product. If COS is suspected, additional product test-
ing (See GPA Standard 2290) and treatment is recommended to
prevent its introduction into the distribution system.
Sulfur chemistry is extremely complex, and little scientific
work has been done to correlate copper strip test results, either
quantitatively or by species, with the multitude of sulfur com-
pounds that may be encountered in natural gas liquid products.
However, specific test data by Pyburn et al
6
indicate that hydro-
gen sulfide concentrations of 0.55 mg/kg or more in propane al-
most certainly will produce a failure of the copper strip test; as
little as 0.3 mg/kg might fail, depending on interpretation of the
test. These data also suggest that the threshold limit of elemen-
tal sulfur is approximately 5-10 mg/kg, although concentrations
as low as 2 mg/kg may cause failure of the copper strip test.
Additional data suggest that elemental sulfur in the pres-
ence of hydrogen sulfide results in a synergistic effect that will
cause failure of the copper strip test with trace concentrations
of either contaminant. Specifically, concentrations of 0.5 mg/kg
elemental sulfur, together with 0.28 mg/kg hydrogen sulfide in
propane were observed to fail the corrosion test. The threshold
value of hydrogen sulfide may be as low as 0.12 mg/kg in the
presence of 0.5 mg/kg elemental sulfur.
Fig. 2-7 is based on field test data on corrosivity limits in
high ethane content mixtures. The curves are approximate and
should not be used for design purposes. Perry
10
states that a
No.1 copper strip is generally thought to represent hydrogen
sulfide concentrations below 1-2 mg/kg. As noted above, other
research
6
indicates a synergistic corrosion effect of extremely
small amounts of H
2
S if free sulfur is present in the stream.
From other observations, Pyburn et al
6
report the following
additional conclusions about corrosive elements in LPGs that
may affect the copper corrosion test:
1. H
2
S and elemental sulfur are the corrosive agents.
2. H
2
S and elemental sulfur act synergistically on the
copper corrosion test.
3. Polysulfides may contribute to copper corrosion.
4. Mercaptans in the presence of elemental sulfur en-
hance corrosion.
5. Mercaptans in the presence of hydrogen sulfide inhibit
corrosion.
6. To be safe, all sulfur compounds should be reduced to
the lowest possible level.
7. No hydrogen sulfide should be present.
8. If any sulfur compounds are present, the product
should be dry.
FIG. 2-3
Representative Quality Criteria for Ethane Streams
Mass Percent
Low High Common
High-Ethane Raw Streams
Methane and Lighter
Ethane
Propane
Isobutane & Heavier
Contaminant Maximums:
Hydrogen Sulfide
Carbon Dioxide
Sulfur
Oxygen
Moisture
1.0
Remainder
No. 1 Strip
100 mg/kg
5 mg/kg
300 mg/kg
75 mg/kg
5.0
Remainder
50 mg/kg
3 500 mg/kg
200 mg/kg

No free
1.0
Remainder
No. 1 Strip
500 mg/kg
200 mg/kg

No free
Ethane-Propane Mixes
Methane and Lighter
Ethane
Propane
Isobutane & Heavier
Contaminant Maximums:
Hydrogen Sulfide
Carbon Dioxide
Sulfur
Oxygen
Moisture
0.6
20
20
0.2
No. 1 Strip
500 mg/kg
5 mg/kg
500 mg/kg
10 mg/kg
1.0
80
80
4.5
No. 1 Strip
3 000 mg/kg
143 mg/kg
1 000 mg/kg
No free
0.6
50
50
4.5
No. 1 Strip
500 mg/kg
100 mg/kg
1 000 mg/kg
50 mg/kg
High-Purity Ethane
Methane and Lighter
Ethane
Propane
Isobutane & Heavier
Contaminant Maximums:
Hydrogen Sulfide
Carbon Dioxide
Sulfur
Oxygen
Moisture
1.5
90.0
6.0
0.5
6 mg/kg
10 mg/kg
5 mg/kg
5 mg/kg
13 mg/kg
2.5
96.0
15.0
3.0
10 mg/kg
5 000 mg/kg
70 mg/kg
5 mg/kg
No free
2.5
90.0
6.0
2.0
10 mg/kg
10 mg/kg
50 mg/kg
5 mg/kg
76 mg/kg
FIG. 2-4
Example Pipeline Quality Natural Gas
Adapted from AGA Report No. 4A, May 2001
Minimum Maximum
Major and Minor Components, mole %
Methane
Ethane
Propane
Butanes
Pentanes and heavier
Nitrogen and other inerts
Carbon Dioxide
Total Diluent Gases
75

10
5
2
0.5
3
2-3
4-5
Trace Components
Hydrogen sulfide
Mercaptan sulfur
Total sulfur
Water vapor
Oxygen

6-7 mg/m
3

115-460 mg/m
3
60-110 mg/m
3
1.0%
Other Characteristics
Heating value, kJ/m
3
-gross saturated 35 400 42 800
Liquids: Free of liquid water and hydrocarbons at delivery temperature
and pressure.
Solids: Free of particulates in amounts deleterious to transmission and
utilization equipment. (3-15 microns, max.)
2-5
Characteristics Method of Test
Commercial Propane
ISO-F-LP
Commercial Butane
ISO-F-LB
Gauge vapor pressure at 40C, kPa (ga), max.
Volatility
C
2
hydrocarbons
C
4
hydrocarbons, mole %, max.
C
5
hydrocarbons, mole %, max.
Unsaturated hydrocarbons, mole %
Dienes, mole %, max.
Residual matter
Corrosiveness to copper, max.
Sulfur, mg/kg, max.
Hydrogen sulfide
Free water content
ISO 4256
2)

or
ISO 8973
ISO 7941
ISO 7941
ISO 7941
ISO 7941
5)
ISO 6251
7)
ISO 8819
1550
1)
Report value
3)
7,5
1)
0,2
1)
Report value
4)
0,5
6)
5)
1
50
6)
Pass
None
8)
520
1)
2,5
6)
Report Value
4)
0,5
6)
5)
1
50
c
Pass
None
8)
1)
Certain national standards and/or regulations may prescribe other limits.
2)
In case of dispute about the vapor pressure, ISO 4256 shall prevail.
3)
Physical limitations of transport and storage facilities shall be considered for refrigerated transport; a common limit is 2 mole
% maximum.
4)
Certain national standards may prescribe a limitation on unsaturated hydrocarbons.
5)
It has not been possible to take a decision on a value for inclusion in this specification because there is no suitable ISO test
method and no satisfactory correlation between the test results obtained using methods developed in different countries. Limits
will be specified when a suitable test method has been adopted. Until a suitable test method has been adopted, the user of this
specification is referred to the introductory discussion and proposed test method discussed in ISO 9162-1989. Report the value
for the sample concerned, and the method used to determine it, as additional information.
6)
Certain national standards may prescribe other limits.
7)
An ISO method specific to liquefied petroleum gas is being developed. Until such an ISO method is available, ISO 4260 is rec-
ommended as the referee method. Other methods specified in national standards, and having a valid precision statement, are
acceptable for quality control purposes.
8)
The presence of water shall be determined by visual inspection. For shipments of refrigerated liquefied petroleum gases at their
atmospheric boiling point, it is essential that the water content is below the saturation level at this temperature as determined
by a method agreed between buyer and seller.
FIG. 2-5
Specifications for Liquefied Petroleum Gases
This table extracted from ISO 9162-1989
FIG. 2-6
Maximum Water Content of Dry
Commercial Liquid Propane*
Temp., C H
2
O, mg/kg % Saturated
38
27
16
4
0
21
18
15
11
10
8
11
16
24
30
*These numbers are approximate
9. Mixing of propane or other products from two sources,
both of which passed the copper corrosion test, may
result in a failure of the mixture to pass the test.
10. Changes in sulfur species may occur during transit un-
der some conditions.
GPA specifications permit a maximum of 123 mg/kg total
sulfur in Propane HD-5; 185 mg/kg in commercial propane; and
140 mg/kg in butanes. It should be noted, however, that these
same specifications require that the product not exceed the
No.1 copper strip. If these two specifications are in conflict, the
more stringent will govern.
To convert from parts per million by weight (mg/kg) of H
2
S
to milligrams per cubic meter at 15C and 101.3250 kPa, use
the following formula for any gas:
mg/m
3
= (mg/kg
H2S
)(mol. mass
gas
)(0.04221) Eq 2-1
Volatile Residue
The volatile residue specification, coupled with the vapor
pressure limit, assures essentially single-component products
for propane and butane, and essentially two-component products
for butane-propane mixtures. The predominant volatile residue
2-6
in propane is butane, limited to 2.5 volume percent; the predomi-
nant volatile residue in butane is pentane or heavier hydrocar-
bons, limited to 2 volume percent. These compositional limits
assure that 95 volume percent of the product will be vaporized
at temperatures slightly above the normal boiling point of the
product, which may be confirmed by a field distillation test.
Non-volatile Residue
The non-volatile residue specification imposes a rigid limit
on extraneous contaminants boiling above 38C, which may re-
sult in fouling of vaporizers used in liquid withdrawal systems.
The principal sources of such contaminants are typically com-
pressor oils, valve lubricants, plasticizers from rubber hoses,
corrosion inhibitors, or other heavy petroleum products from
pumps, pipelines, or storage vessels that may be used in mul-
tiple services. The specification limit is 0.05 cm
3
per 100 cm
3
of
test sample, or 500 cm
3
/m
3
. The common residues in the gaso-
line boiling range usually present little problem in utilization
systems. However, very heavy residues can be present, and
must be identified and eliminated from the system.
Non-Specification Contaminants
Although the range of possible contaminants in LPG is
very great, serious problems are rare, but can occur. The most
serious contaminants encountered are ammonia (See GPA
Standard 2187), fluorides, and organic fluorides. NFPA 58
12

stipulates that LPG shall not contain ammonia, because of
its propensity to induce stress corrosion cracking in copper and
brass fittings commonly used in propane utilization systems.
Fluorides and organic fluorides are possible contaminants in
propane produced from refinery operations, notably HF alkyla-
tion processes, which dictates that production from such units
should be thoroughly and continuously monitored to prevent
contamination of the distribution system.
Natural gas liquids destined for petrochemical feedstocks
may also be subject to additional contractual specification lim-
its, depending on special down-stream processing requirements.
Some of these requirements may include limits on dienes, iso-
mers, alcohols, halides and other trace contaminants.
Odorization
Regulatory codes applicable to the distribution of natural
gas and LP gas require these gases to be odorized such that
the gas is readily detectable by a distinct odor, at one-fifth of
the lower limit of flammability of the gas in air.
12
An excellent
reference covering
Odorization regulations
Chemical and physical properties of odorants
Odorization system design considerations
Odorization equipment and stations
Monitoring methods
Safety and environmental
Odorant stability and olfactory response
has been published by the American Gas Association.
13
LNG Specifications
Gas is often liquefied and sold as Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG). Generally, these types of products are specified by con-
tracts between seller and buyer and thus can come in many
forms. Since components such as CO2 and water are removed
during the production of LNG, normal LNG specification list
these components but they are typically well below the specified
value. Nitrogen is one component of interest and is often includ-
ed as a specification. The heavier hydrocarbons such as C5+ are
generally removed during processing to prevent freezing.
In some locations, the heating value may be limited due to
local pipeline specifications which may require further removal
of propane and heavier components at the source or recep-
tion location of the LNG. An example specification for LNG is
shown in Fig. 2-8.
FIG. 2-8
Example LNG Product Specifications
Nitrogen 1 mole % max
Carbon Dioxide <50 ppmv
Hydrogen Sulfide <4 ppmv
Water <1 ppmv
Benzene <1 ppmv
C5+ <0.1 mol %

Other Products
Intermediate products such as raw NGLs and condensate
streams are not normally subject to industry specifications but
rather are agreed to with sellers and purchasers or transport-
ers of these products. Vapor pressure or Reid vapor pressure
are often specified as well as other items such as total sulfur
and water. The vapor pressure specification depends primarily
on the buyer or transporter for these types of products. For ex-
ample, many product pipelines accept product from gas process-
ing plants. The pipeline owner will set a specification similar to
that shown in Fig 2-9 for demethanized products. GPA Section
C is working on a standard for this product type.
FIG. 2-7
Concentration H
2
S vs. Copper Strip Produced
2-7
Specification Point
Test Method
(Latest Issue)
Receipt Delivery
Specifications
1. Composition
Carbon Dioxide
Methane, Maximum
Aromatics, Maximum
Olefins, Maximum
Gas Chromatography
MAPL Test No. 7
GPA 2177
Extended analysis
MAPL Test No. 7A
GPA 2186
(Note 1)
(Note 2)
10.00
(Note 3)
(Note 1)
(Note 2)
10.00
(Note 3)
2. Vapor Pressure
At 37.8C, kPa (ga), Maximum
MAPL Test No. 1
ASTM D-1267 4137 4137
3. Corrosiveness
Copper Strip at 37.8C
MAPL Test No. 9
ASTM D-1838 No. 1 No. 1
4. Volatile Sulfur
PPM by Weight, Maximum
MAPL Test No. 11
ASTM D-2784 1200 1200
5. Hydrogen Sulfide MAPL Test No. 12
ASTM D-2420 Pass Pass
6. Distillation
End Point at 101.35 kPa (abs), C, Maximum
MAPL Test No. 8
ASTM D-216 190.6 190.6 (Note 4)
7. Color
Saybolt Number, Minimum
MAPL Test No. 16
ASTM D-156 +27 +25 (Note 4)
8. Dryness
Free Water
MAPL Test No. 15
Inspection None at 1.1C None
9. Product Temperature
Product containing 65 mole % or more Ethane, C, Maximum
Product containing less than 65 mole % Ethane, C, Maximum
32.2
43.3
32.2
43.3
Note 1 Carbon Dioxide Maximum is 0.35 L.V.% (8038 ppmw) of the Ethane.
Note 2 Methane Maximum is 0.5 L.V.% of the total components excluding N2 and CO2 and 1.5 L.V.% of the Ethane.
Note 3 Olefin Maximum is 1.0 L.V.% (10,000 ppmw) of the total stream, C4 Olefin Maximum is 0.1 L.V.% (1,000 ppmw) of the Normal Butane.
Note 4 Distillation and Color to be run on that portion of the mixture having a boiling point of 21.1C and above at atmospheric pressure.
FIG. 2-9
Example Y-Grade Product Specification
Some products will be transported in trucks similar to those
for LPG and will have a 1434 kPa (ga) specification. The heavi-
er product which will be primarily C5 and heavier will typically
be specified as a 69 or 83 kPa (ga) RVP product with little other
specification.
REFERENCES
1. GPA Standard 2140-92: Liquefied Petroleum Gas Specifications
and Test Methods, Gas Processors Association.
2. GPA Standard 3132-84: Natural Gasoline Specifications and
Test Methods, Gas Processors Association.
3. Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 173.301(f);
173.314(d).
4. Hachmuth, K. H., Dehydrating Commercial Propane, Butane-
Propane News, January, 1932.
5. Shock, D.A., Research on Evaluation of Copper Strip for Cor-
rosive Sulfur in LPG, Gas Processors Association, 1949.
6. Pyburn, C.M., Cahil, F.P., and Lennox, R.K., The Effect of Sul-
fur Compound Interactions on the Copper Corrosion Test in
Propane, Proceedings, 57th Annual Convention, Gas Processors
Association.
7. Poettman, F.H., and Dean, M.R., Water Content of Propane,
Petroleum Refiner, December, 1946.
8. Kobayashi, R. and Katz, D.L., Vapor-Liquid Equilibria for Bi-
nary Hydrocarbon-Water Systems, Industrial and Engineering
Chemistry, February, 1953.
9. Baumer, J.A., Large Scale Liquid-Liquid DEA Treating for
Fractionation Plants, Oil & Gas Journal, March 15, 1982.
10. Perry, C.R., Several Treating Options Open for Ethane Recov-
ery Plants, Oil & Gas Journal, May 23, 1977.
11. Kahre, L.C., Phillips Petroleum Company Project Report DA-2,
1972.
12. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) No. 58, Standard
for the Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases.
13. AGA Odorization Manual, Dec. 2000.
14. ISO 9162 (1989), Specifications for Liquefied Petroleum Gases,
International Standards Organization.
15. ISO 13734 Natural Gas Organic Sulfur Compounds used
as Odorants Requirements and Test Methods
16. GPA Standard 2107-09, GPA Fractionation Grade Product
Specifications
2-8
NOTES:

You might also like